Method of and means for preserving piling



March 14, 1939. N. H. MCLAIN '2,150,807

METHD OF AND MEANS FOR PRESERVING FILING' Filed May 11, 1937 l lNV OR ogynn HMQLan,

Patented Mar. 14, 1939 ING Norman H. McLain, Bualo, N. Y. Application May 11, 1937, Serial No. 141,973

Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of and means for improving the foundation conditions of structures supported upon piling, and has particular reference to structures of this kind that are upon piles, such as wooden piles, which are subject to deterioration by repeated exposure to water and air or upon exposure to air after a preceding long exposure to water.

In many instances wooden piling supporting structures located at or adjacent to a water front are deteriorating rapidly as a result of a fluctuating water level causing successive wetting and drying of the piles, and in other instances by reason of a permanent recession in water level which exposes to the air portions of the piles which for a long time previously have been covered with Water.

According to the present invention a bulkhead of sheet metal piling or other suitable construction is extended around the structure to be protected, and is retained lled with liquid to the desired degree, thereby avoiding fluctuation or permanent recession of the liquid to which the supporting piles of the structure are exposed, and consequently reducing greatly the rate of deterioration of the supporting piles. The bulkhead is extended into the earth adjacent the supporting piles and is preferably of sufficient strength to resist the lateral forces of adjacent Water and earth, and by reason thereof, affords a further protection to the supporting piles.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the typical embodiments of the invention that are shown in the accompanying drawing, where- Fig. l is a schematic plan view of a construction employing the invention;

Fig. 2 is fragmentary vertical section through a structure provided with the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating application of the invention to a different foundation condition.

In Fig. l the broken line I I represents the outline of a structure I2 supported upon piles, at

least some of which extend through water into earth. Constructed around the structure I2. is a bulkhead I3 which may be formed, for example, by driving into the earth interlocking sheet metal piles of any suitable type which is sufficiently water tight that differential liquid levels may be maintained on the opposite sides thereof. A pump It has an intake pipe I5 extended into the Water outside the bulkhead or to another source of liquid, preferably water or a solution of preservative, and outlet pipe IB having branches I'I discharging at various points within the bulkhead. The pump mechanism may be provided with a oat (such as is diagrammatically indicated at F in Fig. l) or other kind of control that is automatically responsive to the level of the enclosed liquid so that the supporting piles may be always immersed to the same degree despite any seepage of fluid from the bulkhead. Or, if desired, a small capacity pump may be kept in constant operation and an overflow provided to prevent an excessive rise of liquid level.

In Fig. 2 the structure I2 is supported by wooden piles I8 initially driven into earth sloping as indicated by contour line I9. By the present invention steel sheet piling has been driveii into the earth to form the substantially watertight wall II around those portions of the structure I2 beneath which there is water, earth has been filled in to the level indicated at 22 to reinforce the foundation for the piles I8, and the exposed parts of the latter completely inundated by pumping water to the level 23.

In Fig. 3 the structure I2 extends Abeneath the level 24 of adjacent earth, and the bulkhead Il serves to restrain such earth against shifting laterally toward the supporting piles I8. In this instance alos the exposed surfaces of the piling may be retained covered with Water by suitable pumping means.

It will be understood that the invention may be applied to any structure supported upon piling, whether such structure be entirely surrounded by earth o-r water, or surrounded partially by earth and partially by water. In the event the structure is only partially surrounded by water it may be necessary to extend the bulkhead along only such part of the structure, the earth adjacent the remaining parts completing the dam about the structure. It will also be understood that any suitable liquid conveying means may be provided to build up and maintain the desired liquid level about the supporting piling, and that under some conditions, as for example in the case of a flood, the same or other liquid conveying means may be employed to maintain the liquid level by removing fluid from within the bulkhead.

What is claimed is:

1. In a structure including piling extending through Water of varying or receding level into earth beneath said water, a substantially liquid tight enclosure extending around said piling and upwardly from said earth for retaining liquid to a level different from that on the outside thereof,

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and liquid within said enclosure substantially covering the exposed surfaces of said piling.

2. In a structure havingV supporting piling extending through water of.varying or receding level, a'substantially liquid tight enclosure around said piling. and liquid within said enclosureand about saidV piling covering the latter to a sub-A stantially constant predetermined degree. u Y d c 3. In a structure *having*A piling extending through water', a bulkhead adjacent said structure for maintaining liquid around said piling'to a predetermined level, and means for transferringf water from one to the other side of saidlbulkhead to enable maintenance of Ytheliquid around said l5 piling vsubstantially at a predetermined level.

4. In a structure having supporting piling, a bulkhead adjacent said structure and completing an enclosure around said piling for maintaining liquid therearound to a predetermined level, and

means for moving liquid into said enclosure and maintaining it at a predetermined level.

5. VThe method of preserving the existing foun-V dation of a structuresupported bypiles that may be exposed to a varying or receding water 1eve1,

which consists of forming an enclosure surrounding said piles,fand moving liquid to or from Said enclosure maintaining liquid Within said enclosure to a substantially constant level.

' NORMAN H.McLA1N.

CERTIFCATE OF' CORRECTION n Patent No,a 2,150,807 March lh, l959 NORMAN H. MCLAIN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring oorrectionas follows: Page l, second column, line 28, for "alos" read also; page 2, second column, line l2, claim 5, after the word "enclosure" first occurrence, insert for; and that the said` Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office a Signed and sealed this 2nd day of May, AeD. 1959 Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) n Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

